Tailor{40 s trouser length and trouser cuff marker

ABSTRACT

A tailor&#39;&#39;s trouser length and cuff marker comprising a baseboard having indicia related to trouser lengths and cuffs, and having a device for positioning marked trouser&#39;&#39;s legs thereon in relation to said indicia. Spaced above the base, for positioning over the trousers is a two-part adjustable guide one part of which is hingedly mounted to the base to enable the guide to be raised and lowered. The other guide part has a straight-edge to guide a marking chalk or crayon. The two parts are adjustably connected to enable the straight-edge to be variously positioned for effecting different markings on the trousers. In conjunction with the baseboard and two-part guide there is also a trouser marker device adapted to stand on the floor and extend upward alongside the leg of a customer who has donned the trousers for measuring purposes. The marker device has an upright post on which there is carried a vertically movable slider provided with a stapler. The post and slider have cooperable indicia arranged to provide for short, medium or long trouser lengths, either with or without cuffs. By setting the slider to the particular indicia which corresponds to the customer&#39;&#39;s choice, the stapler will be properly positioned the right distance above the floor surface; it is then used to apply a staple to the crease portion of the trousers. Then the customer removes the trousers, and the applied staple now constitutes a correctly placed marker for providing the desired trouser length, either with or without cuffs. Such a marked pair of trousers, when placed on the baseboard and utilized with the two-part guide, can now be accurately chalked or lined so that, for either cuffs or no cuffs as desired, the proper cut off and folding can be effected.

Waited States Patent [191 Sullivan TAILOR'S TROUSER LENGTH AND TROUSER CUFF MARKER [76] Inventor: John J. Sullivan, 3920 Grady Street,

Norfolk,'Va. 23504 [22] Filed: on. 26, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 83,996

51 Int. Cl. ..A4lh 1/04 58 Field of Search ..33/2 H, 8,9 R, 9 A, 33/10 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,588 5/1927 Wells ..33/9 R 2,242,071 5/1941 Hoffman 1,939,833 12/1933 Schwartz 2,112,930 4/1938 Schulman 3,522,656 8/1970 Paranzino 3 ,400,460 9/1968 Sullivan 2,178,658 11/1939 Turpan..... ..33/8

Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince Assistant Examiner-Charles E. Phillips Att0rney--H. Gibner Lehmann et al.

[5 7 ABSTRACT A tailors trouser length and cuff marker comprising a baseboard having indicia related to trouser lengths and cuffs, and having a device for positioning marked [451 Apr. 10, 1973 trouser's legs thereon in relation to said indicia. Spaced above the base, for positioning over the trousers is a two-part adjustable guide one part of which is hingedly mounted to the base to enable the guide to be raised and lowered. The other guide part has a straight-edge to guide a marking chalk or crayon. The two parts are adjustably connected to enable the straight-edge to be variously positioned for efiecfing difierent markings on the trousers. In conjunction with the baseboard and two-part guide there is also a trouser marker device adapted to stand on the floor and extend upward alongside the leg of a customer who has donned the trousers for measuring purposes. The marker device has an upright post on which there is carried a vertically movable slider provided with a stapler. The post and slider have cooperable indicia arranged to provide for short, medium or long trouser lengths, either with or without cuffs. By setting the slider to the particular indicia which corresponds to the customers choice, the stapler will be properly positioned the right distance above the floor surface; it is then used to apply a staple to the crease portion of the trousers. Then the customer removes the trousers, and the applied staple now constitutes a correctly placed marker for providing the desired trouser length, either with or without cuffs. Such' a marked pair of trousers, when placed on the baseboard and utilized with the two-part guide, can now be accurately chalked or lined so that, for either cuffs or no cuffs as desired, the proper cut off and folding can be effected.

3Claims,7DrawingFigures PATENTEBAPR 1 01973 sum 1 OF 2 v INVENTOR.

JOHN-J SL Z [JV/TN BY TAILORS TROUSER LENGTH AND TROUSER CUFF MARKER PRIOR PATENTS 1. US. Pat. No. 3,400,460 issued to John J. Sullivan, dated Sept. .10, 1968 and entitled Tailors Trouser Length and Trouser Cuff Marker.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to the marking and cutting of trousers, and more particularly to the marking and cutting of trouser legs for the purpose of forming cuffs, bottom seams or the like, so that the customer will have the proper length as desired, either with or without cuffs. In my prior patent above identified, a somewhat A separate, non-adjustable trouser marker device was provided, adapted to be placed on the floor adjacent the customer's leg while the customer temporarily wore the new trousers with the bottoms turned up. The

' marker device either applied a staple to the trouser crease portion or else enabled a tailors chalk or crayon mark to be made at one given place on the trousers. After the trousers, so marked, were removed from the customer they were placed on the base board and the adjustable anchorage pin placed in one of the various possible positions on the board, depending on the desired length of the trousers and whether or not the trousers were to have cuffs. This prior device of my patent required an adjustable positioning of the anchorage pin on the base board, with the result that the operator sometimes became confused or else forgot to reposition the anchorage. As a consequence, the trousers would be improperly marked and cut. If such improperly cut trousers were then found to be too short it resulted in wastage, inasmuch as they could not be then used for the same customer but instead had to be set aside for possible use by a later customer of shorter build. A new pair of trousers thus would have to be selected, and the marking thereof would have to be repeated and correctly made after the mistake had occurred.

SUMMARY The above drawback of the trouser length and cuff marker device of my above-identified patent is obviated by the present invention, which has for its main object the provision of an improved tailor's trouser length and cuff marker characterized by a base board with two-part guide, and a separate trouser marker device to mark trousers after they have been put on by the customer, wherein there is no longer required the adjustable positioning of the anchorage pin on the base board to effect the required marking and cutting of the trousers. Thus the adjustment for length and cut-off is no longer left up to the operator who places the trousers on the base board. Instead, in accordance with the object of the invention, the length adjustment and indication of cuff is done by the person using the marker device, at the time that the trousers are initially worn by the customer. The objective further includes an improved adjustable marker device, by which the trousers can be adjustably marked, such mark being placed at any one of different distances from the floor level, depending on the desired length of the trousers and whether or not cuffs are to be had.

The foregoing object is accomplished by the provision of a novel trouser marker device comprising a stirrup-like lower member and an upstanding post extending upward therefrom, on which there is slidably carried a carriage or slider mounting a stapler. Cooperable indicia are provided on the upstanding post and the slider, to be used in connection with the desired trouser length and information as to whether or not cuffs are desired by the customer. The stirrup-like base is arranged so that it can straddle the customer's shoe, the trousers being marked by a staple placed through the front crease portion of the trousers. By having the staple positioned at a predetermined adjusted height from the floor, there is obviated the necessity for adjustable positioning of an anchorage pin on the base board at a later time, after the trousers have been removed and placed on the base board for final marking and cutting.

Other features and advantages of the invention reside in the provision of an improved tailors trouser length and cuff marker as above characterized, wherein adjustment is had to enable an angular cut-off to be made, and/or a cuff, asfor example where bell-bottom trousers are to be longer or lower at the rear than at the front; to provide an improved device of the above character, which is especially simple-in its construction, easily operated even by unskilled personnel, and reliable and foolproof in its operation.

Still other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the adjustable trouser marking device as provided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the upper portion of the marker device.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 3-3 i of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of portions of the upright post and slider of the marker device.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, on a reduced scale, of the upper portion of the marker device.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the base board and twopart guide as provided by the invention, and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a fixed anchorage post and pin which is permanently mounted on the base board of FIG. 6.

Referring first to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is provided a generally rectangular base board 10 having hingedly mounted on it a two-part H-shaped guide comprising a flat side member or piece 12 connected to the base by a hinge 14. The l-I-shaped structure includes another side piece 16 which has guiding edges, and further includes an extendable connection or yoke structure 20 having slidably fitting members 22, 24. The member 22 is secured to the side piece 12, as by welding indicated at 26, and said member has upstanding side flanges 28 between which the member 24 slidably fits. A bolt or stud 30 is carried by the member 22 and extends through an elongate opening or slot 32 in the member 24 whereby the latter and the right side piece 16 may be shifted from left to right as viewed in FIG. 6.

On the member 24 there is carried a pivotally mounted latching piece 34 adapted to be received in any one of two notches 36, 40, thereby to position the members 16, 24 in any of two predetermined positions one of which is designated by the full line showing. When the pivoted latch 34 is in the notch 36, the member 16 will have the full line position of FIG. 6. If the latch 34 should be raised and the members 16, 24 shifted to the right to enable the latch to occupy the notch 40, the right edge (designated 62) of the right side member 16 will be aligned with an arrow designated 60. The members 16, 24 can also have an intermediate position as illustrated by the dotted line showing in FIG. 6. Optionally a notch 38 can be provided to determine this dotted line position, wherein the right edge 62 aligns with an arrow designated 58. The dotted line position is indicated by the numeral 42. By enabling the latch 34 to occupy the notch 40, it will be understood that theright side member 16 thus occupies a position located further to the right of the dotted line position indicated at 42. The notches 36, 38 and 40 are in one flange 28 of the member 22.

The board is provided with a stationary anchorage or post 44 comprising a base 46 by which the post is secured to the board. The anchorage 44 comprises an upstanding portion 48, and a sharp or pointed slender pin 50 which is carried by the base 46. The uppermost portion or extremity 52 of the portion 48 extends forward over the pin 50 as viewed in FIG. 7, thereby to constitute a guard and protection whereby the user will not accidentally come in contact with the sharp pin 50 and be scratched or injured. In conjunction with the anchorage 44 positioned at the location illustrated in FIG. 6, the board 10 is provided with four spaced indicia or arrows 54, 56, 58 and 60, the latter two being preferably dotted or formed with broken lines as shown. The arrows 56 and 60 are to be referred to the outer edge 62 of the right side piece 16 and the arrows 54 and 58 to the inner edge 64 of such side piece. As seen in FIG. 6, with the latch 34 in the notch 36, the edge 64 is aligned with the arrow 54, and the edge 62 is virtually aligned with the arrow 56. If the latch 34 occupies the notch 38, the edge 62 will be virtually aligned with the dotted arrow 58, and when the latch 34. occupies the notch 40 the outer edge 62 will be virtually aligned with the dotted arrow 60.

When the H-shaped structure comprising the pieces 12, 16 and is pivotally raised, the leg of a pair of trousers may be placed on the board 10 and the crease portion impaled on the pin 50 where the predetermined mark or staple has been placed by previously using the marker of FIGS. 1-5. The bottom portion of the trousers leg will extend to the right, over the board 10, and the H-shaped structure may then be lowered on the trousers leg. The arrow 54 will indicate the finished length of the trousers if cuffs are to be provided. To cut off the trousers properly for such length, the slider 16, 24 is shifted to the right to bring the latch 34 in the notch 40. Marking crayon or chalk can then be drawn along the outer edge 62 of the piece 16, to mark the trousers for the cut-off point. If there are to be no cuffs, the slider edge 62 is aligned with the arrow 58 as indicated by the dotted line showing of FIG. 6. If provided, the notch 38 will aid in this, since the latch 34 can be placed in the notch 38 whereupon the edge 62 will automatically become aligned with the dotted arrow 58. The marking crayon will then be drawn along the edge 62 to mark the trousers for cut-off at such point.

The marking device can also be drawn along the edge 64 to mark the trousers for a folding line in preparation of the forming of the cuffs. Thus, with the trousers leg remaining stationary and positioned by being impaled on the pin 50, the slider 16, 20 can be positioned by means of releasing the latch 34, so as to indicate the proper cut-off line and also to indicate the fold line in the event that cuffs are to be provided. A fold line can also be provided where no cuffs are to be had, by placing the latch member 34 in the notch 36. The edge 62 can then be used as a guide for the marking chalk, to mark the trousers at the point where they are to be turned up and folded, to provide the finished length and bottom edge.

It will be understood that the adjustment and use of the slider 16, 20 thus determine the cutoff and fold points of a trouser leg, either for cuffs or else for no cuffs. The determining factor is the proper positioning of the trousers leg on the board, by impaling the crease portion of the trousers on the pin 50 at the proper point. Thus, the desired length of the trousers will depend on the positioning of the same on the pin 50 in the proper location, either for cuffs or no cuffs.

The adjustable marking of the trousers leg to determine the point or location of impalement of the crease portion on the pin 50, in accordance with the present invention, is effected by a novel marking device which is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. This marking device comprises a stirrup-like base portion 65 having somewhat of a horseshoe-shape, said base portion being provided with forwardly extending feet 66 and rigidly supporting an upright post 68 on which there is carried a vertically movable slider 70, the latter being constituted as a channel section. The post 68 has a fixedly mounted screw 72 which is accommodated in an elongated opening or slot 74 of the channel slider 70. The post 68 also has a plurality of indicia, see FIG. 4, comprising the numbers 1, 2 and 3 designated generally by the numeral 76, and also the letters A, B and C designated generally by the numeral 78. The slider has a window through which the indicia 76, 78 may be viewed.

The vertical post 68 has a plurality of openings 82 adapted to receive a screw 84 which is carried by a lever 86 pivoted at 88 on the slider 70. A leafspring 90 tends to maintain the screw 84 in any one of the openings 82 in which it has been placed. The openings 82 and screw 84 are correlated with the indicia 76, 78 whereby one or the other of the six indicia can be presented at the window or index 80, and may be viewed by the operator. The indicia 1, 2, 3 and A, B, C correspond respectively to short, medium and long trouser lengths with cuffs, and short, medium and long trouser lengths without cuffs. With such arrangement, the adjustable positioning of the slider 70 will enable the user or salesman to select the desired trouser length of the customer, either with or without cuffs. The lever 86 is merely depressed against the action of the spring 90 to disengage the screw 84 from the hole 82 which is occupied, and the slider 70 is then merely raised or lowered to bring the desired indicia into view in the window 80.

At the top of the slider 70 there is mounted in horizontal position a stapling device designated generally by the numeral 92. Across the mouth 94 of the stapling device there extends a fixed guide or stop member 96. In use, the crease portion of the trousers is inserted in the mouth 92 until it engages the stop strip 96 andthe stapler 92 is then actuated, to apply a staple to the crease portion. In FIG. 1 the crease portion of a trousers 98 is designated by the numeral 100.

FIG. 1 illustrates the use of the trouser marking device. The stirrup'like base 65 may be placed to straddle the foot 102 of the customer who is wearing the turned-up new pair of trousers 98. The slider 70 is then the shortest length where there is no break being either number I. or the letter A. The medium length or just touching the shoes would be either number 2 or the letter B depending on whether or not there are to be cuffs or no cuffs. The longest length where there is a break at the front'of the trousers would be either the number 3 (with cuffs) or the letter C (without cuffs). With the marking device thus set and positioned, the front crease portion 100 of the trousers 98 is inserted in the mouth 94 of the stapler 92 and the staple is applied. The marking of the trousers is done at the front crease, thus eliminating errors since the back crease is longer for bell bottom trousers, for instance.

After the trousers have been thus marked, the customer removes them and the trousers are then placed on the board and the stapled crease is impaled at the staple on the pin 50. The lower portion of the trousers leg will extend to the right from the anchorage 44, and the trouser leg will lie under the H- shaped frame 12, 16, which has been lowered for the marking procedure. The slider 16, 24 is brought to the right to line the edge 62 with either of the arrows 58, 60. It can be shifted so thatthe latch 34 occupies either the notch 38 (if one is provided for the cut-off line with no cuffs) or else the notch 40 for the cut-off line with cuffs. The trousers are then marked by drawing the marking crayon along the edge 62. Drawing the crayon along the opposite edge 64 will mark the trousers for the fold line, where cuffs are to be provided. The fold line, where there are to be no cuffs, is made by drawing the marking crayon along the edge 62 with the slider 16, 24 set so that the latch 34 is in the notch 36, which is the full line position illustrated in FIG. 6. During the marking of the trousers, the side seams are lined up as accurately as possible with arrows 104, 106 provided respectively on the side pieces l2, 16

Also, according to the invention, the side piece 16 can be constituted of two members, a top member 107 and an under member 108 which carries screws 110 extending through slots 112 in the upper member 107. Knurled nuts are provided on the screws 110, and enable the under member 108 to be shifted either angularly as illustrated by the dotted line 109 in FIG. 6, or else in a manner parallel to the upper member 107. When the lower member 108 is shifted angularly, it will provide for an angular cutoff of the trousers, where this set for either cuffs (1, 2 or 3) or no cuffs (A, B or C),

is to be desired as for example with bell bottom trousers. By shifting the lower member 108 parallel to the upper member, the width of the cuff can be varied from a narrow cuff to a wide cuff, since such shifting separates the left edge 64 of the upper member 107 from the right edge 62 of the lower member 108. The member 108 at its bottom end extends beyond the edge of the board 10 to constitute a grip for its adjustment.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided a novel and improved tailors trouser length and trouser cuff marker device wherein the selection of the length and the matter of the trousers having cuffs or no cuffs is established by the salesman or person measuring the trousers (which are being temporarily worn by the customer). After such selection, a staple is used to place a mark on the crease portions of the trouser legs. Thereafter, other personnel can use the cut-off board and H-shaped frame to merely operate the same for marking the trousers at the cut-off point and also at the fold points for either cuffs or no cuffs. No dependence is had upon the personnel operating the board 10, as regards the selection of length. Such person need only know whether or not the trousers are to have cuffs, this being indicated by either a number or else a letter on the alteration ticket. One of the numbers 1, 2 or 3 means cuffs; one of the letters A, B or C means no cuffs. The choice of lengths, short, medium or long, is indicated by the choice of number or letter. This simplifies the communication between the person originally marking the trousers and the person cutting the trousers and sewing the same after cutoff. That is, confusion or misunderstanding is eliminated between the salesman and the tailor shop, regardless of the customers choice or preference. It can be readily understood that there is less likelihood of confusion occurring as to the desired length of the trousers, it only being necessary to convey the information that the trousers are to either have cuffs or not have cuffs.

It will be seen that the device as provided by the invention is especially simple, economical to fabricate, reliable and convenient in use.

Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Tailors means for marking trouser lengths, comprising in combination:

a. a vertical upright having a base adapted to be set on the floor adjacent the foot and leg of a customer wearing a pair of turned-up new trousers,

. a slider vertically movable on said upright between raised, lowered, and intermediate positions,

. releasable means for securing the slider on the upright in any of said positions, a

. a roll of cooperable indicia comprising the numbers l, 2 and 3 followed by the letters A, B and C on said upright and comprising an index on said slider whereby there are six different indications provided respectively for six different slider positions to indicate respectively short, medium and long trouser lengths with and without cuffs,

. a hand stapler device having a pair of spacedapart, coextensive handles, said device being mounted on the slider at the top thereof with the handles disposed in a horizontal plane and said 2. Tailors means as in claim 1, wherein: device being operable for placing a staple in a vera. the slider comprises a channel member having a tical position parallel to the axis of the upright and 1 i one ofit flan the crease P of the trousers adlacem the b. said upright having a pin fixedly attached to it and crease whereby the location of the staple in the 5 crease portion is a function of the adjusted vertical position of the slider on the upright,

f. said stapler device having a mouth portion defining a slot which is disposed in a vertical plane and is reeivein' r f 3232:: g z the g z i i zj $1 8 10 b. said mdicia being visible respectively in said hole fixed stop adjacent said slot to limit the extent of as the shder sh'fted along the upright insertion of said crease portion.

disposed in the slot of the slider to constitute a stop therefor.

3. Tailors means as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the slider comprises a channel member having a hole in one flange, said hole comprising said index 

1. Tailor''s means for marking trouser lengths, comprising in combination: a. a vertical upright having a base adapted to be set on the floor adjacent the foot and leg of a customer wearing a pair of turned-up new trousers, b. a slider vertically movable on said upright between raised, lowered, and intermediate positions, c. releasable means for securing the slider on the upright in any of said positions, d. a roll of cooperable indicia comprising the numbers 1, 2 and 3 followed by the letters A, B and C on said upright and comprising an index on said slider whereby there are six different indications provided respectively for six different slider positions to indicate respectively short, medium and long trouser lengths with and without cuffs, e. a hand stapler device having a pair of spaced-apart, coextensive handles, said device being mounted on the slider at the top thereof with the handles disposed in a horizontal plane and said device being operable for placing a staple in a vertical position parallel to the axis of the upright and in the crease portion of the trousers adjacent the crease whereby the location of the staple in the crease portion is a function of the adjusted vertical position of the slider on the upright, f. said stapler device having a mouth portion defining a slot which is disposed in a vertical plane and is adapted to receive in it the crease portion of the trousers to effect the stapling thereof, and having a fixed stop adjacent said slot to limit the extent of insertion of said crease portion.
 2. Tailor''s means as in claim 1, wherein: a. the slider comprises a channel member having a slot in one of its flanges, b. said upright having a pin fixedly attached to it and disposed in the slot of the slider to constitute a stop therefor.
 3. Tailor''s means as in claim 1, wherein: a. the slider comprises a channel member having a hole in one flange, said hole comprising said index b. said indicia being visible respectively in said hole as the slider is shifted along the upright. 